Grow Your Savings with Our Autumn Certificate Special!

Fall is the perfect time to grow your savings! Friends and Family Credit Union is offering special Certificate rates to help you make the most of your money.

Earn up to 4.33% APY* on a 24-month Certificate or 4.28% APY* on a 12-month Certificate. With a guaranteed rate, you can enjoy greater confidence knowing your savings are working for you.

Autumn Certificate Special Rates:

• 4.33% APY* — 24-Month Certificate

• 4.28% APY* — 12-Month Certificate

Don’t miss this limited-time offer! Visit Friends and Family Credit Union to learn more and take advantage of these special rates while they’re available.

Friends and Family Credit Union — Helping Stark County grow stronger, together!

*APY = Annual Percentage Yield. All rates and promotions are subject to change at any time. Some restrictions may apply. Limited time offer. See credit union for complete details. Family Advantage Bonuses are already factored into Certificate Specials.

Just in Time for the Holidays: Earn Bonus Rewards with Your Platinum Rewards Mastercard

Rewards cardholders must be enrolled in UChoose Rewards to redeem points.

Beginning on November 1, 2026, you can earn BONUS POINTS!

The holidays are the perfect time to shop, celebrate, and earn rewards! With the Friends & Family Credit Union Platinum Rewards Mastercard, your everyday purchases can earn you bonus points throughout the holiday season.

Whether you’re filling up the gas tank, grabbing a meal with family, or checking off your holiday shopping list, you can earn points and redeem them for rewards you’ll love.

Earn More Points on Holiday Purchases

Make your holiday spending work harder for you with these Platinum Rewards Mastercard earning opportunities:

• 3 points per dollar spent on gas and grocery purchases.

• 2 points per dollar spent at restaurants, bars, and fast-food establishments.

• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

From holiday road trips and grocery runs to family dinners and gifts for everyone on your list, your Friends & Family Mastercard helps you earn rewards along the way.

Enjoy a Competitive Fixed Rate

In addition to earning bonus rewards, eligible cardholders can take advantage of a fixed rate as low as 9.95% APR. Having a competitive rate and earning rewards can make the Friends & Family Platinum Rewards Mastercard a valuable addition to your holiday spending plans.

Turn Your Points Into Rewards

Your points can be redeemed for a variety of rewards, including major retailer gift cards, restaurant gift cards, airline travel, hotels, rental cars, and cash-back rewards applied to your statement. To redeem points, cardholders must be enrolled in UChoose Rewards.

Make This Holiday Season More Rewarding

This holiday season, put your everyday purchases to work with the Friends & Family Platinum Rewards Mastercard. Earn points on eligible purchases and enjoy more ways to make your holiday spending rewarding.

Friends & Family Credit Union proudly serves everyone in Stark County, Ohio, including Massillon, Canton, North Canton, Alliance, Louisville, and surrounding communities. Whether you’re an existing member or looking for a local credit union, we’re here to help you make the most of your money.

Ready to earn bonus rewards? Contact Friends & Family Credit Union or visit a branch to learn more about the Platinum Rewards Mastercard and how to get started.

*APR = Annual Percentage Rate. All rates and promotions are subject to change at any time. Some restrictions may apply. Contact Friends & Family Credit Union for complete details. Limited-time offer. Additional terms and conditions apply.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: 10 Smart Ways to Protect Yourself Online

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which makes it a perfect time to take a fresh look at how you protect your personal information, online accounts and finances.

Every day, cybercriminals use increasingly sophisticated tactics to steal passwords, financial information and personal data. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Americans reported more than $20.8 billion in internet crime losses in 2025, a 26% increase over the previous year.

While technology continues to evolve, many successful scams still depend on one thing: getting someone to act before they stop and think.

The good news is that you can take several simple steps to make yourself a much harder target.

Here are 10 cybersecurity tips to help keep you and your information safer online.

1. Create Strong, Unique Passwords

Your passwords are an important first line of defense. Use long, unique passwords for your most important accounts, and avoid using the same password on multiple websites.

If a criminal obtains a password from one compromised website and you’ve used that same password elsewhere, several of your accounts could be vulnerable.

A password manager can make it easier to create and securely store unique passwords without having to remember them all.

Avoid passwords that contain easily guessed information such as your name, birthday, address or common words.

Remember: Long. Unique. Private. Protected.

And whenever an account offers multi-factor authentication, turn it on.

2. Stop and Think Before Clicking

A message arrives in your inbox or on your phone. There’s a link. Maybe there’s an attachment. Perhaps the message says you need to act immediately.

Before clicking, stop for a moment.

Was the message expected? Do you recognize the sender? Does the request make sense?

Phishing scams are designed to look legitimate while tricking you into visiting a fraudulent website, downloading malicious software or providing personal information.

If you’re unsure, don’t click the link. Instead, visit the company’s official website yourself or contact the organization using a phone number you know is legitimate.

A few seconds of caution can save you from a major headache.

3. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

A password alone doesn’t have to be your only defense.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA), sometimes called two-factor authentication (2FA), adds another verification step when you sign into an account.

Depending on the service, you may be asked to:

• Enter a security code

• Approve a notification through an authentication app

• Use your fingerprint or facial recognition

• Insert a physical security key

MFA can provide important protection if your password is stolen because a criminal may still be unable to access your account without the additional verification.

Whenever possible, enable MFA for your email, financial accounts, social media profiles and other important online services.

4. Be Skeptical of Unexpected Requests

Scammers know how to create a sense of urgency.

You might receive a message claiming your account has been locked, a payment failed, a package can’t be delivered or you need to take immediate action.

Don’t allow pressure to make the decision for you.

Instead, take a step back and independently verify the situation. Use a trusted website or phone number rather than the contact information included in a suspicious email or text.

Stop. Verify. Then decide.

That simple habit can help protect you from many common scams.

5. Keep Your Computer, Phone and Apps Updated

Those update notifications can be easy to ignore, but they’re important.

Operating system and software updates frequently include security patches designed to fix vulnerabilities that criminals could potentially exploit.

Whenever possible, enable automatic updates on your:

• Smartphone

• Computer

• Tablet

• Web browser

• Mobile apps

• Smart home and connected devices

Keeping your technology current is one of the easiest cybersecurity habits you can develop.

6. Watch Out for AI-Generated Scams

Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work and communicate—and scammers are using it, too.

Criminals can use AI to create convincing emails, fake websites, realistic images and even voice impersonations. A message that looks professional or sounds like someone you know isn’t automatically legitimate.

Be especially cautious if someone unexpectedly asks you to:

• Send money

• Purchase gift cards

• Share a password or verification code

• Provide financial information

• Change payment instructions

• Take an unusual or urgent action

When something seems suspicious, verify it through a different communication method.

If technology can make scams more convincing, awareness becomes even more important.

7. Think Twice About Public Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi at restaurants, hotels, airports, coffee shops and other public locations can be convenient, but you shouldn’t automatically assume every public network is secure.

Avoid logging into sensitive financial accounts or entering confidential information while using an unfamiliar public network.

If you need to connect, use a trusted VPN and make sure your device’s security features are enabled. When possible, save banking, shopping and other sensitive transactions for a trusted network.

Convenience is great. Security is better.

8. Be Careful With QR Codes

QR codes are everywhere—from restaurant menus and advertisements to signs, emails and text messages.

Unfortunately, scammers can also use them to send you to fraudulent websites.

Before scanning a QR code, consider where it came from. After scanning, carefully examine the website address before entering a password, credit card number or other personal information.

If the website looks unfamiliar or something about the request seems suspicious, close it.

A QR code may be convenient, but it isn’t automatically trustworthy.

9. Don’t Let Fear, Excitement or Curiosity Make the Decision

Scammers use emotions to get people to act quickly.

A message might promise a prize, threaten an account closure, warn about suspicious activity or claim that a loved one needs immediate help.

Before responding, ask yourself:

• Is this something I was expecting?

• Do I know who actually sent it?

• Is the request unusual?

• Am I being pressured to act immediately?

• Is someone asking for money or sensitive information?

• Could I independently verify the request?

If something doesn’t feel right, take your time.

Don’t let a scammer’s urgency become your emergency.

10. Protect Your Financial and Personal Information

Be particularly careful when someone asks for sensitive information such as your account number, debit or credit card information, Social Security number, password or security code.

Criminals may pretend to be your financial institution, a government agency, a retailer, a delivery company—or even someone you know.

If you receive an unexpected message involving your money or personal information, don’t automatically use the phone number, email address or link provided in that message.

Instead, contact the organization directly through a trusted phone number or by visiting its official website.

Protecting Your Accounts at Friends & Family Credit Union

As a member of Friends & Family Credit Union, your financial security is important to us.

Whether you live in Massillon, Canton or elsewhere in Stark County, Ohio, make cybersecurity part of your everyday financial routine. Be cautious with unexpected messages, protect your login credentials and always verify suspicious requests before providing information.

If you receive a suspicious communication that appears to involve your credit union account, contact Friends & Family Credit Union directly using a trusted contact method rather than responding to the suspicious message.

Get More Protection With Friends & Family Credit Union

Protecting your identity and finances involves more than being careful online. Friends & Family Credit Union offers additional services designed to help members protect their identity, finances and everyday purchases while providing valuable savings and financial wellness benefits.

Family Secure Checking

Family Secure Checking combines everyday checking with a broad range of identity protection, insurance and money-saving benefits for one low monthly service fee of $6.95. Members receive mobile and online banking, a Mastercard® debit card, online bill pay, surcharge-free ATM access and shared branching, along with IDProtect® identity theft monitoring and resolution services.

Additional benefits include up to $10,000 in identity theft expense reimbursement coverage, credit monitoring and alerts, dark web monitoring, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, cell phone protection, buyer’s protection, extended warranty coverage, health and telehealth discounts, travel and leisure savings, and financial wellness resources. It’s a convenient way to add another layer of protection to your everyday banking. Learn more about Family Secure Checking.

Family Secure+

Family Secure+ provides an expanded package of identity protection, insurance, health savings, lifestyle discounts and financial wellness resources for just $6.95 per month. Members can receive IDProtect® identity monitoring and resolution services, dark web and credit monitoring, access to credit reports and scores, and up to $10,000 in identity theft expense reimbursement coverage.

The program also includes accidental death and dismemberment insurance, cell phone protection, buyer’s protection, extended warranty protection, prescription, dental and vision discounts, 24/7 telehealth access, travel and entertainment discounts, online shopping rewards and one-on-one financial coaching. Family Secure+ brings a wide range of valuable protections and benefits together in one convenient package. Learn more about Family Secure+.

Your Best Defense Is Awareness

Cybersecurity doesn’t have to be complicated.

Some of the most effective protections are simple everyday habits:

Think before you click. Use strong, unique passwords. Turn on MFA. Keep your devices updated. Be skeptical of unexpected requests. Protect your financial information.

The goal isn’t to become an expert in cybersecurity. It’s to develop habits that make it harder for scammers to catch you off guard.

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take a few minutes to review your online security—and make those good habits part of your routine all year long.

Stay alert. Stay informed. Stay secure.

If you believe you may have encountered a scam involving your Friends & Family Credit Union account or financial information, contact the credit union as soon as possible.

Tired of spending hours rolling your loose change? We get it – sorting, stacking, and rolling coins can be a hassle. That’s why Friends and Family Credit Union is making life easier for our valued members with our FREE Coin Machine!

Convenient and Easy to Use
Located at our Erie Street S. branch, our Coin Machine allows you to quickly and effortlessly turn your loose change into cash. No more counting coins by hand – simply pour them into the machine and let it do the work for you!

Available for Our Members – Absolutely FREE!
At Friends and Family Credit Union, we’re always looking for ways to provide more value to our members. That’s why our Coin Machine service is completely free for FFCU members. It’s just one more way we make banking more convenient for you!

Coin Machine Hours & Location:
Erie Street S. Branch, Massillon, OH 44646 
Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 11:45 AM

If you live in Stark County and are a Friends and Family Credit Union member, take advantage of this convenient service today. Stop by our Erie Street branch and let our Coin Machine do the work for you!

Not a member yet? Join us and enjoy great benefits like this and so much more. We’re proud to serve everyone in Stark County with banking solutions that make life easier.

Friends & Family Credit Union is a proud sponsor of Stark County football

At Friends & Family Credit Union, we believe in the power of community—and nothing brings our community together quite like high school football season in Stark County! We are proud to be a continuing sponsor of Stark County high school football, helping to spotlight the incredible talent, dedication, and teamwork of our local student-athletes.

Supporting Our Youth, Celebrating Our Community

High school football is more than just a game—it’s a tradition that unites families, friends, and neighbors. Whether you’re cheering from the stands, gathered around the radio, or tuning in online, each game is a chance to celebrate the hard work and sportsmanship of the students who represent our schools with pride.

That’s why Friends & Family Credit Union is committed to supporting local broadcasts of Stark County high school football across multiple platforms. You can catch the excitement every week through:

• Live radio coverage

• Online streaming

• Full game replays and highlights on YouTube

No matter where you are, you’ll be able to follow your favorite teams and athletes all season long.

Show Your School Spirit

Join us in showing support for your local school teams! Wear your school colors, attend games, share broadcasts with friends and family, and take pride in being part of something bigger than yourself. These athletes put in countless hours of training and teamwork—and they deserve a community that cheers them on every step of the way.

We’re More Than a Credit Union—We’re Family

Friends & Family Credit Union is honored to play a role in helping local traditions thrive. As a member-owned credit union rooted in Stark County, we’re here to support not only your financial goals but also the people and events that make our community strong.

From the Friday night lights to the final whistle, we’ll be right there with you—proudly supporting Stark County’s young athletes and the schools that shape them.

Let’s make this football season one to remember. Go team!